Protest looks set to fall flat

 

June 12 2010

Shepparton News

Cobram's protest against Cobram Victory's round-eight win for including a suspended player looks set to fail, despite having the backing of Football Federation Australia regulations.

Cobram lost to Victory 4-2 in a fiery local derby, but protested the result based on Victory's inclusion of Adam Gatcum, who is yet to serve a suspension received in England.

Football Federation Australia national disciplinary ruling 13.3 forbids a suspended player from taking to the field until that suspension is served, but a spokesman for FFA said Goulburn North East Football Association was not obliged to follow the rule and that the final decision rests with Football Federation Victoria and GNEFA.

"We have advised FFV of the ruling (13.3), but as FFV are the governing body of that league it's up to them to enforce it," the spokesman said.

"Seeing as though it doesn't have an effect on the national competition or the national structure of football, it's not our issue . . . we can give advice and say, `These are our rules', but it's up the FFV and the local football body (GNEFA) to enforce them. We're not going to come down on every infringement that occurs at club level."

But FFV tribunal and disciplinary coordinator Kosta Dokolas said it was a GNEFA and FFA matter and not an issue for FFV.

"(GNEFA president) Frank (Trimboli) called me regarding the matter asking for advice. FFV doesn't actually control the competition; it's basically Frank and the association that call the shots," Dokolas said.

"We basically don't have any governance over it; it's purely association-based and the FFA, which is the national body."

With FFA and FFV removing themselves of an overriding decision it falls to GNEFA rule 8.2 in the grievance disciplinary and tribunal by-laws, which states that a suspension must be served at the same "level" in which it was received.

Trimboli said on Tuesday that Dokolas had said to him the FFV would have allowed Gatcum to play in the Melbourne metropolitan competition if faced with the same situation, but Dokolas was more circumspect when contacted directly.

"It's a tricky one, but it would be a case-bycase thing and I would have to know more information with regards to the player and when he registered and who he played for to be able to investigate it further," Dokolas said.

"The answer is in the FFA regulations, (but) how each governing body or state body reflect those rules or police those rules can vary, and obviously it can vary at association level as well."

GNEFA will discuss the matter at Monday's board meeting.